In the realm of captivating fairy tales, few stories hold as much mystery and allure as that of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Imagine a king, blessed with twelve daughters of unparalleled beauty, yet plagued by an inexplicable nightly occurrence. Every morning, their delicate shoes would be inexplicably worn through, as if they had been swept away in nightly dances. Behind locked doors and sealed chambers, a secret was being kept, a secret that baffled the entire kingdom and set the stage for a daring challenge.
The Royal Mystery: Worn Shoes Every Morning
Once upon a time, there reigned a king who was father to twelve daughters, each more beautiful than the last. They shared a single chamber, and in this chamber were placed twelve beds, all in a row. Each night, as the stars emerged, the doors to their chamber were securely shut and bolted. Despite these precautions, a perplexing mystery unfolded each dawn. The king’s bewilderment grew with each passing day as he discovered the princesses’ shoes, once pristine, now tattered and worn, bearing testament to unseen nightly escapades of dancing. Where could they possibly be going? How were they leaving their locked chamber? The kingdom buzzed with speculation, but no answers were forthcoming.
Alt text: Twelve dancing princesses in their shared bedroom, a sense of mystery surrounds them as they prepare for their nightly secret escapade.
Driven to unravel this enigma, the king issued a decree that echoed throughout the land. He declared that any man who could unveil the secret of where his daughters danced each night would be rewarded handsomely. The suitor who succeeded would be granted the hand of the princess he favored most and be named heir to the throne, inheriting the kingdom upon the king’s death. However, this enticing offer came with a grave warning. Failure to solve the mystery within three days and nights would be met with the ultimate price – death. The stakes were incredibly high, deterring all but the most courageous, or perhaps, the most desperate.
Failed Attempts and Mounting Danger
The king’s challenge attracted numerous suitors, each brimming with confidence and ambition. First to arrive was a king’s son, eager to prove his worth. He was welcomed with royal hospitality and, as evening descended, led to a chamber adjacent to the princesses’ room. From this vantage point, he was instructed to keep vigil, to observe and discover the princesses’ clandestine nightly activities. To ensure no detail escaped his notice, the door to his chamber was deliberately left ajar. Yet, despite the gravity of the task, slumber overcame the prince. When morning light crept into the chamber, the damning evidence was once again apparent: the princesses’ shoes were undeniably worn, riddled with holes from a night of dancing. The prince had failed to uncover the secret of the twelve dancing princesses.
The same pattern of events repeated itself for the subsequent two nights. Sleep claimed the prince each time, rendering him oblivious to the princesses’ nocturnal departures. True to his word, the king, though surely saddened, had no choice but to uphold his decree. The king’s son, unable to solve the riddle of the twelve dancing princesses, met a tragic end, his head severed as punishment for his failure.
Alt text: A dejected prince is escorted by royal guards, symbolizing the consequences of failing to uncover the secret of the twelve dancing princesses.
Following this grim fate, a succession of brave or perhaps foolish men stepped forward, each hoping to succeed where the prince had failed. Knights, lords, and even sorcerers tried their luck, but the outcome remained consistently bleak. Night after night, the princesses danced, and night after night, their observers succumbed to slumber, failing to witness their secret. One by one, these hopeful suitors met the same gruesome destiny as the first prince, their lives forfeited in their unsuccessful quest to solve the mystery of the twelve dancing princesses. Fear began to permeate the kingdom, and the king despaired of ever uncovering the truth behind his daughters’ nightly dances.
The Wounded Soldier and the Wise Old Woman
Just when hope seemed to dwindle, an unlikely hero emerged. An old soldier, seasoned by battles and bearing the scars of war, was passing through the kingdom. Wounded and weary, he was no longer fit for combat, and his future seemed uncertain. As he journeyed through a dense wood, his path intersected with that of an old woman, her eyes twinkling with ancient wisdom. She inquired about his travels, and the soldier, burdened by his misfortunes and yet sparked by a flicker of ambition, confided in her.
‘I scarcely know where my path leads,’ the soldier confessed, ‘nor what course I should take. Yet, a thought has taken root in my mind. I am drawn to the king’s challenge, to unravel the mystery of where the princesses dance. Perhaps,’ he mused, a glimmer of hope in his voice, ‘success in this endeavor could lead me to a kingdom of my own.’
The old woman listened intently, a knowing smile playing on her lips. ‘That ambition,’ she replied, ‘is not as unattainable as it may seem. The task, in truth, is not exceedingly difficult, provided you heed my counsel.’ She then imparted crucial instructions to the soldier. ‘Beware,’ she warned, ‘of accepting any wine offered by one of the princesses on the eve of your watch. It is a draught of slumber. As soon as the princess departs, feign deep sleep. This deception is key.’
Alt text: A wise old woman in a mystical forest offering guidance and a magical cloak to a wounded soldier, aiding him in his quest to uncover the secret of the twelve dancing princesses.
With these words of wisdom, the old woman bestowed upon him a cloak of peculiar properties. ‘Don this cloak,’ she instructed, ‘and you shall become invisible to all eyes. Thus concealed, you can follow the princesses unseen, wherever their nightly path may lead.’ Armed with this invaluable advice and the magical cloak, the soldier’s resolve hardened. He determined to seize this opportunity and try his luck where so many others had perished. He presented himself to the king, declaring his willingness to undertake the perilous task of discovering the secret of the twelve dancing princesses.
Unmasking the Secret Underground World
The soldier was received at the royal court with the same courtesy and anticipation as his predecessors. The king, though perhaps harboring little hope after so many failures, nonetheless provided him with fine royal garments and all the comforts befitting a potential suitor. As dusk approached, he was escorted to the outer chamber, adjacent to the princesses’ sleeping quarters, to commence his vigil.
As he prepared to retire for the night, the eldest princess herself approached, bearing a goblet of wine, seemingly as a gesture of welcome. Recalling the old woman’s warning, the soldier cautiously accepted the cup, but with subtle sleight of hand, he discreetly disposed of the wine, ensuring not a drop touched his lips. He then lay upon the bed, and after a short interval, began to snore loudly and rhythmically, convincingly portraying a man deep in slumber.
Upon hearing the soldier’s feigned snores, the twelve princesses exchanged knowing glances and stifled giggles. The eldest, with a hint of mockery in her voice, remarked, ‘This poor fellow, too, might have chosen a wiser path than to forfeit his life in this futile endeavor!’ With that, they arose from their beds and proceeded to their drawers and chests, retrieving exquisite gowns and jewels. Before a large mirror, they adorned themselves in finery, their earlier weariness replaced by an air of excitement and anticipation for the night’s adventures.
However, amidst the flurry of preparations, the youngest princess voiced a disquieting premonition. ‘I know not why,’ she murmured, ‘but while you all revel in such joy, a sense of unease weighs upon my heart. I fear some misfortune may befall us this night.’
The eldest princess scoffed at her younger sister’s apprehension. ‘Simpleton!’ she retorted, ‘You are ever consumed by needless fears. Have you forgotten how many kings’ sons have already watched and failed? As for this soldier,’ she added dismissively, ‘even had I not offered him the sleeping draught, he would have slumbered soundly enough from sheer exhaustion.’
Once fully arrayed in their dazzling attire, the princesses approached the soldier’s chamber to ascertain his state. He remained motionless, his snores continuing unabated. Convinced of their safety and the soldier’s obliviousness, they proceeded with their secret ritual. The eldest princess approached her own bed and clapped her hands in a precise manner. Instantly, the bed began to descend into the floor, revealing a hidden trapdoor that swung silently open. One by one, the twelve dancing princesses descended into the darkness, the eldest leading the way. Seizing his moment, the soldier swiftly arose, donned the magical cloak, and plunged into the opening, following close behind.
As he descended the hidden staircase, in his haste, the soldier inadvertently stepped upon the hem of the youngest princess’s gown. She gasped and cried out to her sisters, ‘Something is amiss! I felt someone grasp my gown!’
‘Nonsense, silly creature,’ the eldest princess retorted, ‘it is merely a snag, a nail protruding from the wall.’ Dismissing her sister’s alarm, they continued their descent.
At the bottom of the secret passage, the soldier found himself in a breathtakingly beautiful grove of trees. The leaves of these trees were crafted entirely of shimmering silver, reflecting the light in a dazzling spectacle. Desiring a tangible token of this wondrous place, the soldier carefully broke off a small branch. Immediately, a loud, resonant noise echoed through the grove. The youngest princess, her unease amplified, exclaimed, ‘I am certain something is wrong! Did you not hear that sound? Such a thing has never occurred before!’
The eldest princess, ever quick to allay suspicion, offered a plausible explanation. ‘It is merely our princes,’ she declared, ‘they are expressing their joy at our imminent arrival.’
They proceeded deeper into the enchanted realm, soon reaching a second grove, even more magnificent than the first. Here, the leaves were fashioned from pure gold, radiating a warm, opulent glow. Again, the soldier broke off a branch as a memento, and once more, a loud noise reverberated through the air, causing the youngest princess to tremble with apprehension. But the eldest princess remained steadfast, attributing the sound to the princes’ exuberant welcome.
Their journey continued until they arrived at a third grove, where the leaves were composed of glittering diamonds, their facets catching and scattering light in a dazzling display of brilliance. As before, the soldier took a branch, and each time, a loud noise echoed, further unsettling the youngest sister. Yet, the eldest princess’s reassurances, though increasingly strained, continued to pacify her sisters.
Finally, they reached the shores of a vast, tranquil lake. Upon the water’s edge rested twelve small boats, each occupied by a handsome prince, seemingly awaiting the princesses’ arrival. Each princess stepped into a boat, and the soldier, mindful of his invisibility, discreetly joined the youngest princess in her vessel. As they rowed across the lake, the prince in the youngest princess’s boat remarked, a puzzled tone in his voice, ‘I know not why, but despite my utmost effort, our progress is unusually slow, and I am weary beyond measure. The boat feels remarkably heavy this evening.’
‘It is merely the warmth of the night,’ the princess replied, offering a simple explanation. ‘I, too, feel quite warm.’
On the opposite shore of the lake stood a magnificent, illuminated castle, its windows ablaze with light, from which emanated the joyous sounds of horns and trumpets, filling the night air with merry music. They disembarked and entered the castle, where a grand ball was in progress. Each prince paired with his princess, and the soldier, still unseen, partnered with them, becoming an invisible participant in their revelry. Whenever a princess was offered a cup of wine, the soldier, with nimble stealth, would drain it, leaving the cup empty just as she raised it to her lips. This inexplicable phenomenon further unnerved the youngest princess, but the eldest sister persistently dismissed her concerns.
They danced with unrestrained joy until the first light of dawn approached, marking three o’clock in the morning. By this time, their delicate shoes were completely worn out, forcing them to conclude their enchanted evening. The princes rowed them back across the lake, and this time, the soldier strategically positioned himself in the boat with the eldest princess, keen to observe her further. Upon reaching the opposite shore, they bid farewell to the princes, the princesses promising to return the following night for another clandestine dance.
As they ascended the secret staircase back to their chamber, the soldier hastened ahead, reaching their sleeping quarters before them. He quickly lay down in his bed and resumed his act of deep slumber. As the twelve weary sisters slowly entered, they heard his rhythmic snores and collectively sighed in relief. ‘Now,’ they murmured, ‘all is indeed safe.’ They then undressed, carefully put away their fine garments, removed their tattered shoes, and finally retired to their beds, unaware that their secret was on the verge of being revealed.
Alt text: The twelve dancing princesses joyfully dancing with princes in a grand, illuminated underground castle, their secret nightly rendezvous.
Revelation and Reward
The following morning, the soldier maintained his silence, betraying no hint of the extraordinary events he had witnessed. Intrigued and determined to gather further proof, he repeated his clandestine observation on the second and third nights. Each night unfolded in precisely the same manner: the twelve dancing princesses descended to their underground ballroom, danced until their shoes were in tatters, and returned home before dawn. On the third night, in addition to the branches, the soldier, as further irrefutable evidence, took a golden cup from the underground castle, a tangible souvenir of their secret revelry.
When the appointed time arrived for him to disclose the secret, the soldier was brought before the king, bearing the three branches – silver, gold, and diamond – and the golden cup. The twelve dancing princesses, their hearts pounding with a mixture of fear and anticipation, positioned themselves behind the door, straining to hear the soldier’s revelation.
The king, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and apprehension, questioned the soldier. ‘Tell me,’ he commanded, ‘where do my twelve daughters vanish to dance each night?’
With unwavering clarity and detail, the soldier recounted his incredible journey. ‘They dance with twelve princes in a magnificent castle, located deep underground,’ he declared. He then proceeded to narrate every detail of his three-night surveillance, describing the secret passage, the enchanted groves, the lake, and the underground castle. To substantiate his claims, he presented the king with the three branches and the golden cup, tangible proof of his extraordinary tale.
The king, astonished and finally enlightened, summoned his daughters. He confronted them with the soldier’s account, asking them to confirm or deny his words. Faced with irrefutable evidence and the undeniable truth of their nightly escapades being exposed, the twelve dancing princesses, their secret laid bare, confessed everything. They admitted to their clandestine dances in the underground castle, confirming every detail of the soldier’s revelation.
Overjoyed at finally solving the long-standing mystery and deeply impressed by the soldier’s bravery and cleverness, the king turned to him with a benevolent smile. ‘You have succeeded where all others have failed,’ he declared. ‘Now, choose amongst my daughters, whichever pleases you most, to be your wife.’
The soldier, wise beyond his years and perhaps weary of adventure, replied with thoughtful consideration. ‘Your Majesty,’ he said, ‘I am no longer in the first bloom of youth. Therefore, if it pleases you, I would choose the eldest princess to be my bride.’
And so it was decided. The soldier was wed to the eldest of the twelve dancing princesses that very day, and in due course, he was proclaimed heir to the kingdom, destined to rule after the king’s passing. The mystery of the dancing princesses was solved, and the kingdom rejoiced in the resolution and the promise of a wise and courageous new ruler.
